Gli Settimo Campione!
by Sir Juis Hi
Summary: Due to some changes, Godou turned to be a different person. Doni thinks that he had found his long lost brother. AU
1. Chapter 1

Kusanagi Godou. Fifteen years of age and in his first year of highschool in Jounan Academy.

Athletic ability: Above good. Grades: Very excellent. Duration without a girlfriend: Fifteen years.

Personality: Blunt, lazy, rude.

Hobbies: Sleeping and reading.

Favorite word: What's-your-face Food: Anything sweet

Skills: Good at cooking. Proficient in fighting bare-handed. Finding lost things. Can show amazing leadership in times needed.

Overall: has little positives and many negatives.

Teachers' evaluation: "Ah, Kusanagi-kun. Although he's good both in class and sports, he clearly lacks interest and motivation. Furthermore, he is very lazy and has a strong disinterest in many things."

Parents' evaluation: "I don't want to say anything about that idiot. Go ask someone else." (Mother) "My daughter Shizuka is very cute! I'm gonna celebrate with her in a restaurant. Dear son, I won't object if you decide to come, but be prepared for the misery of being excluded from a heartfelt celebration between father and daughter!" (Father)

...

The bell rang, indicating that it was the end of class.

The teacher in front of the class finished writing in the blackboard, placing the chalk in a container. The middle aged teacher then turned to his class and said some things. But most of his words fell on deaf ears, the students of Class-1 were already busy arranging their belongings and preparing to either hang out on the last school day or go home.

One particular student has his head collapsed on his desk.

Needless to say, he is our protagonist.

Kusanagi Godou (information above) was a person who would sleep in class and miraculously ace his studies. He was also the student council president, despite being lazy and asleep half of the time, his natural charisma made the other students from his grade vote for him. Surprisingly, even though his reputation was greatly known in his school, he is reliable, trustworthy and is a good friend.

"Godou-san, it's already end of class, please wake up."

One particular classmate walked on his table and shook his shoulders. The brown haired girl was the pride of the middle school students, the number one in the rankings of 'Girls that you want to have a relationship with!' (although she was not aware of it) Mariya Yuri was her name.

"What's-your-face...? Already time to go home huh...?

Godou yawned as he moved his neck that ached from his uncomfortable sleeping position. Ignoring Yuri's weak glare, he grabbed his bag along with hers and proceeded to to head out of class, pretending not to notice the deadly stares that he was receiving.

"Tsk... That Kusanagi, he should just die." "That lazybones again..." "Why is Mariya-san always with him when either going to school or returning home...?" "Don't you know? Mariya-san and Kusanagi-kun has been doing that routine ever since middle school...!" "Eh?! So that means that they've known each other for so long?!" "Who knows? But they always go to school and home together." "She also allows him to carry her bag..." "Rumors from the teachers' office say that Mariya-san always goes into Kusanagi-kun's house...!" "An affair?!"

It was well known all over the school that Kusanagi Godou and Mariya Yuri were close to each other. Close enough that Yuri proposed to be the Vice-President of the student council to assist the lazy president. With her in the council, works that Godou couldn't finish was handled by her. Her presence also helped Godou to remain in position, much to the latter's annoyance, and when Godou was almost evicted in student council, Yuri almost step down from her position.

The reason for Godou almost being kicked out of the student council was for not following the school rules.

As the student council president, it was one of his jobs to stop bullying by reporting it to the teachers. But what he did was beat up the high school students that were bullying his little sister that was on her middle school.

Jounan Academy has a middle school inside its campus. This private academy's campus was quite large, especially the forest near the boundery between the high and middle school sections. It was like a garden, it even has ponds.

Despite his pathetic posture, Kusanagi Godou was an expert in hand to hand combat. His physical abilities are also good even if he doesn't use them mostly.

His personality and bluntness tends to annoy most people, therefore fighting was inevitable. Thus he studied and trained to be able to at least protect himself. However, Godou proved to be talented and his martial arts teacher decided to teach him high level fighting, much to his horror. The bone breaking training was not worth it, he doesn't need to use techniques that can break his opponents' spirit. Although he calls himself a gentle person, he has the habit of returning damage fivefold.

In other words, Kusanagi Godou is a smart, blunt, lazy, ass-kicking, chef-student.

"Godou-san, aren't we suppose to go in the student council room to check the clubs that are requesting to use facilities in summer?" walking beside him, Yuri asked.

Godou who was carrying both his bag and Yuri's shrugged, "...I've already done those earlier."

"Eh?" Yuri tilted her head, "knowing Godou-san, you would just say that you forgot it and tell me to help you later. What, have Godou-san finally decide to take responsibility?" she asked, her voice filled with a little hope.

Godou stared at Yuri with his normal lazy look, "Shizuka-chan's sick, and I promised to go home immediately. That's why I finished all of the work so there're no hindrance," he replied, gesturing Yuri to stop walking since the stoplight turned red.

Yuri showed a look of concern, "how's Shizuka-san doing? I hope it's not serious."

Godou sighed, "just a cold. It's her own fault, she kept eating ice cream with the excuse of hot weather. Those stuffs from Galaxy-Bucks also help worsen her condition. No need to worry, just a few days of rest should do it."

Smiling, Yuri released a sigh of relief, "is that so? What a coincidence, Hikari also has a cold."

Smiling wryly, Godou added, "that's probably because in the past few days, the two of them were hanging out and eating whatever cold treat they can see."

This time, Yuri revealed a surprised look, "I see. So that's why Hikari hasn't been around lately."

"Spare her the scolding, she's sick and she has probably learn her lesson," he replied at the sighing Yuri.

"But still, she made us worry."

Remembering their childhood memories, Godou smiled once again, "we also used to do the same things when we were younger. Your parents didn't scold you for worrying them right? During that time you also escape from your duties," he said, reminiscing about the past when he would sneak Yuri out of the shrine just to play with her. They often went to places where they can play and spend the rest of their time.

The Hime-Miko blushed adorably upon remembering the happy times, a small smile also found its way into her face, "yes, we were troublemakers back then. When you were still not as lazy as you are now," she teased looking at him. It was rare for the gentle Hime-Miko to act like this, and Godou was confident that he's the only one who have seen this side of her.

"...Spare me the crap," he said with a bored tone, "I was a kid back then, it was natural to be energetic. Nowadays my energy are always low. No doubt it's because of my work in the student council," he muttered while being lost on his own thoughts.

Yuri sighed, "I doubt that Godou-san, please admit that you're just lazy. Even though you're asleep half of the time and always eats nutritious food, you always complain about having low energy. If I had known that Godou-san will grow up like this, I would've encouraged my younger self to make you exercise,"

Facing Yuri's scolding Godou rolled his eyes, "aah, spare me. Just thinking about exercise makes me tired," Godou yawned, not embarrassed in the slightest to act unsightly in front of a girl.

"Geez, whatever am I going to do with you, Godou-san?"

"...Allow me too skip clubs in high school?"

...

After walking for some minutes, Godou and Yuri arrived at the Kusanagi residence.

The Kusanagi family lived at the edge of Bunkyo ward in Tokyo. Amongst the many shops that were near a subway station; situated at a corner, was a second hand bookstore that had closed down. After the death of the shop owner, Godou's grandmother, four years ago, it slowly began to run out of business, and eventually closed for good.

And anyway, when compared to the days when the shop would open and close without a single customer, nothing had really changed.

Especially when one considered there was nothing even approaching a 'manga section' in the store, it was hardly surprising that the bookstore couldn't keep up with the newer shops. Perhaps the store might have survived if it was in Jinbocho, but being in a small alleyway, it would have been more unusual if business was any better.

Since four years ago, the Kusanagi family never bothered to restart the store.

"Is it fine, Mariya?" Godou asked, "going here, I mean. Lately, you've been staying at the house and returning late in your home," he added. It's been a routine for Yuri to go into his house after school and return in her home when it was already dark.

The Mariya family lived in an apartment complex in Toranomon. Although their main house was located in the Saitama prefecture, they used the Toranomon apartment for easy commuting to work and school.

Of course Godou made it a habit to accompany Yuri when returning at home. Letting a girl like her travel alone in the night brings a sense of guilt even for him, who rarely ignores anything that doesn't concern him.

"It's fine," Yuri replied, "my parents allowed it as long as Godou-san escorts me back. They're really confident in Godou-san's fighting skill after all," she added. Her family knows that Godou was good in bare-handed fighting and they trusted him in guarding her should anything happen, he had never failed them.

"Is that so," Godou said with a sigh, "there goes my hopes of sleeping early."

"Tomorrow's the beginning of summer Godou-san," Yuri also sighed, figuring what Godou was implying, "you can sleep for two months if you want," she added the last part with a hint of resentment. Godou just smiled while thinking about his work-free summer.

Upon entering the house, Yuri removed her shoes and put on the slippers that Godou prepared. The two of them proceed upstairs where the grandfather, Kusanagi Ichirou was waiting, watching a T.V show while sitting on the sofa. A little girl with brown hair can also be seen lying on the sofa covered by thick blankets.

"Sorry for intruding again," Yuri did a perfect 90 degree bow, "Godou-san mentioned Shizuka-chan being sick, I came to check on her."

The said girl mentioned just stared at Yuri with a thankful look then proceeded to glare at Godou, who shrugged and took his seat on the other side of the room. The grandfather just chuckled, winking at his grandson like he was some sort of accomplice.

"My, please don't worry about it," Ichirou replied, "Yuri-chan is always welcome here. Shizuka here is also glad for your visit, isn't that right?" Ichirou then turned towards Shizuka who was blowing her nose.

"Y-yes," was her reply in broken voice, "I-achoo- I'm glad that Mariya-senpai came here worried about me achoo! I also want her help to discipline Onii-chan about meeting those girls from the other class," Shizuka signaled with her eyes and Yuri immediately got her message.

"Godou-san," Yuri revealed a smile far comfortable for Godou's taste, "what is Shizuka-chan saying? Godou-san have the time to meet those girls yet Godou-san don't have time to stay awake in class...?" she asked with an icy tone. "Please do enlighten me about this."

Godou sighed while sending a slight bored glare at Shizuka. His little sister couldn't scold him so she relied in Yuri for assistance, and to think that he will be able to have a quick nap without someone nagging at him.

"They're asking me if I could accompany them in a concert this summer," Godou replied with a lazy tone, Yuri and Shizuka's eyebrows raised in unison.

""What was your answer?" was their question.

"...That I've something better to do like I don't know, resting my always tired body," Godou answered without hesitation. He hated noisy places for he can't sleep peacefully, the feelings of the girls who asked him didn't even passed his almost asleep brain.

Yuri sighed while Shizuka rolled her eyes, "Onii-chan, do you ever think about anything other than being lazy?"

Godou smirked lazily, "Do Charizards breathe fire?"

Shizuka groaned and Yuri placed her face in her palm. Godou was so lazy and he knows it himself, despite that he haven't even try to fix this attitude of his. Upon seeing their reaction, Godou chuckled as he rested his cheek on his palm, showing signs of being sleepy.

...

...

...

A couple of hours later, Yuri and Ichirou were washing the dished while Godou lazily lie on the sofa, watching the news with the bored gaze of his. There was nothing interesting enough to gain his interest.

"I can't believe you Onii-chan!" despite being sick, Shizuka stepped in front of Godou with her hands on her hips and her eyes glaring at him. "You're making Mariya-senpai do the work even though she's a guest! You're the worst among humans, go learn some manners! Achoo!"

"Ah that's right," Godou sighed, "Mariya-chan~ please leave the work to the old geezer!" he yelled and Shizuka kicked him in the stomach.

"Onii-chan you're the worst!" Shizuka yelled in rage, "instead of helping, you passed the work to grandfather! I should really drown you in a swamp!" she then proceeded to step on the poor body of our protagonist.

"I-isn't that a little harsh?" through moans of pain, Godou asked.

For a moment, Shizuka stopped her abuse, nodding at his words. "You're correct. The swamp hasn't done anything to deserve getting you dunked into it," she said as she directed her sharp gaze towards her good for nothing brother.

"Okay, that's enough," appearing to break the awkward scene was none other that their grandfather. Yuri can also be seen following him from behind. "Godou it's getting late, escort Yuri-chan back into her home, and when you return I would like to talk about some important matters," he explained the last sentence with a tone that Godou didn't like. It simply reek of...

Manual labor...!

Godou released a yawn as he stood up from his lying position. "Alright, let's go what's-your-face—" not long after he said that, a foot found itself being burried on his stomach.

...

...

After leaving the Kusanagi household, Godou and Yuri rode the train. They departed after half and hour and walked for fifteen minutes before arriving at the apartment complex located in Toranomon. Because it was already eight in the evening, Yuri didn't went straight ahead towards Nanao Shrine.

"Really, I should be sleeping in this hour," sighing to himself Godou muttered.

"Godou-san, I get the feeling that you find sleeping more desirable than making sure that a friend arrives safely at their home," Yuri said as she shook her head. She wondered how she befriended such a lazy person.

Thinking about it, all started when they were still young. In class, Yuri always scolded him for his rudeness towards other students, she didn't know how but it resulted in them often debating. Then before she knew it, she already considered him as one of her friends, they would play and do things together.

Back then, Godou wasn't as lazy as he is right now.

He was blunt, rude and lazy but he was a good person. He will act if the situation really calls for it, most of the time, he only observed the situation, but to the surprise of many, once Kusanagi Godou acts, even the most simplest details or mistakes will be his greatest tool in winning.

She looked after him over years, helping him in whatever problems, hoping that he will change his attitude. But now she realized that such a thing was next to impossible. Kusanagi Godou was a person different from many, the way he views the world was different from others.

He worked differently from other humans.

He was special, she knew that much.

But he spends all of his time goofing off and rarely focuses on anything. In other words he was already a lost cause when she met him. Aside from that, he knows nothing about magic and the likes and Yuri was planning to keep it that way.

"Ah Yuri, you're home late again," as they arrive in her house, they were greeted by an old lady with a gentle smile. She was Yuri's grandmother, a person whose name was forgotten by Godou.

"Obaa-san, maybe you could convince what's-her-face here to not go in our house anymore?" Godou suggested hoping to lessen his daily work and spend more time resting, but he was immediately met by Yuri's cold glare. "I mean, it would be better if Mariya doesn't return home so late at night," he added weakly.

"Hoho, it's fine. Yuri has already made it a habit to look after you," the grandmother smiled gently at him. "If the child has decided herself, then there's no helping it."

"Tsk. It was worth a try," Godou sighed as he waved his arms lazily, "time for me to go back. See ya when summer's over! Tell the younger what's-her-face I said hi! " he yelled as he went towards the door, closing it as he left.

"Seriously, Godou-san's a lost cause," Yuri sighed as she gazed at the window, watching the figure of the black haired youth disappear in the dark. "I really fear his future," she muttered while shaking her head, still gazing at the back of her friend.

A clear image suddenly surfaced in Yuri's mind. Naturally, this was anoracle brought by spirit vision.

However, what it showed was—

"...Golden Sword?"

...

Summer vacations.

The extended break that countless high schooler longed for.

For this month and a half, some went out to play and have fun, others engaged in sports, while others toiled with sweat and devoted their passions to work, love, supplementary lessons, or doujinshi conventions.

But to Kusanagi Godou, his summer was full of misfortunes. Because instead of spending his time back in his own country,doing whatever he likes, namely sleeping, he instead traveled to Sardinia, Italy to do a work for his grandfather. A work that made him travel across the seas just to deliver some old lithograph to some old stranger that he doesn't even know. What made it worse was that he doesn't even know how to speak Italian and he was alone during this travel.

It all started the same night after Godou returned from escorting Mariya Yuri.

An acquaintance of his grandfather visited their house, inviting Ichirou in a meeting out of country about an exhibit concerning their former jobs of being a professor of history. The trip was considered to be once in a lifetime chance so he hurriedly travel into their house to inform Ichirou.

"As interesting at it sounds, I'm afraid that I cannot join," Ichirou replied calmly while drinking his sake. "I have a task in my hands."

In the living room of the Kusanagi household, two old men were enjoying alcohol.

Godou was also there, sitting at a corner with his usual lazy expression. He was there to only pour the liquor, moving back and forth to deliver warmed bottles of sake.

With just one whiff, he can tell if the sake was warmed in the right temperature. Being expert in culinary, Godou has this skill ever since he was young, whenever his mother wants to drink and orders him to prepare the liquors, mixing cocktails and even making her son taste them to get the right taste. Occasionally, when the Kusanagi household held a drinking party,he was in the kitchen utilizing the skills of his specialty. However, his skill came from the training by his grandfather from a young age.

"What is this task that you needed to do?"

The one who asked his grandfather was an old friend, Takamatsu-sensei. He was from the same generation as Godou's grandfather, a professor at a private university within Tokyo who taught western history. It was also because of this, that Shizuka called him 'sensei'.

Of course, Godou calls this person 'what's-your-face' like any others.

"I am going to Italy to deliver an important thing to an old friend," Ichirou answered, "my flight is scheduled in just two more days."

Even though Kusanagi Ichirou was a person who liked to travel, he had rarely left the country recently. However, a few weeks ago, he suddenly said that he wanted to go to Italy.

"That old friend that you mentioned is a woman right?" Takamatsu-sensei, Ichirou's old friend, said with some disgust.

"Ah, if you're going to put it that way, she is also someone you know. She was Lucretia Zola, do you still remember her? A foreign student from Italy back when we were in university," Kusanagi Ichirou reminded Takamatsu-sensei, who was still frowning.

"That woman? Hey, don't tell me that you have been always in contact with her?"

"No, it only started recently," Ichirou explained, "I sent a letter in her Italian home address that I heard from before, and a reply came back. That precious item she left behind forty years ago was still in my possession. If possible, I would like to return it to her."

"A precious item?" Takamatsu-sensei asked with a hint of interest. "Just what did that woman leave here in Japan?"

Facing Takamatsu-sensei's inquiry, Godou's grandfather left his seat and quiickly came back. He was carrying a flat object covered in purple cloth, he placed it in the table and began to unwrap it.

It was B5 sized stone tablet, on it was a childish drawing. It should be a picture of a man with both his hands and feet locked up, distributed on the edges of this drawing were drawings of a bird with its wings spread out, the sun, moon and stars.

The tablet was very worn out in appearance and even had signs of being burnt.

"...An ugly looking lithograph," Godou summarized with a lazy tone, "can I sleep now?" he asked the two people but was evidently ignored.

In truth, he knows that the thing was very precious. A carving left behind by primitive peoples that came from Greece. Godou recognized the chains and birds as a symbol of punishment in the place that the Greeks called as Tartarus. The man in the drawing was was probably being punished by having his insides pecked by the bird. But no matter how precious it was, it was still an ugly drawning, and that's what Godou said.

But aside from its history, Godou could also sense some lingering abnormality coming from the stone...

"Looks really precious," Takamatsu-sensei sighed, "but still Ichirou! This is once in a life time discovery! Can't you delay your meeting with that woman? Didn't you promised Chiyo that you would never see her again?"

Chiyo was the name of Godou's grandmother that passed away four years ago. Godou remembered her as being a gentle grandmother than did her best to taught him the wronds that his grandfather mane when still younger. As far as he knows, his grandmother was really concerned about him being a womanizer or something.

"Promise?" Ichirou repeated with a hint of curiosity, "wasn't it that I will not see her off the airport?"

"It's not that!" Takamatsu-sensei roared and Godou placed his hands on his ears, he hated noisy places. "I'm sure that you still remember, you're just playing dumb! What's more, you're not obliged to go personally, all you need is to send it over by mail!"

"Indeed," Ichirou agreed, "but it's precious. Wouldn't it be troublesome if it is damaged on the way there?"

"As I said," Takamatsu-sensei sighed once again as he gestured Godou to pour him another cup of sake, the youth sighed and did his job. "Can you delay it? This trip that I'm talking about is really rare. Didn't you wished that you could attend it back when we were at university?"

Ichirou also sighed. "OK, I get it. This is indeed very rare so I will go. I'll just let Godou deliver this tablet to Italy, this way I can go with you in that country and avoid breaking a promise with my wife."

Godou's ears perked up upon hearing that his grandfather said, with an annoyed expression he spoke, "It's troublesome, I don't want to do it geezer."

"Are you serious Ichirou?" Takamatsu-sensei asked with a worried tone, "does Godou know any Italian?"

Upon his question Ichirou smiled, "Nope, none at all. But things will work out somehow, no problem."

"I didn't agree to this," Godou said, "I don't want to go to Italy, end of discussion."

"Hoho, are you sure?" Ichirou asked with a smile, "Godou, you do know that your mother will return here in Monday, right? She'll take care of Shizuka, which means that you'll be stuck with your mother and sister while I am gone."

Godou, who was preparing to leave the room stopped. His sister was loud, so was his mother, should that devil come back, even if only for a few days, she will order him non-stop and throw parties. If that happens, he won't be able to rest, scratch that, he won't be even to sleep peacefully!

Facing this situation, Godou sighed and showed a look of surrender.

If he only knew what will happen during his trip to Italy, he would most likely endure a week of no sleep.

...

...

Godou has several experiences of being taken overseas by his grandfather.

The places visited were mostly Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam or Thailand. Getting separated with his grandfather then meeting up several days later has also happened. Every time that it occurred, Godou had to spend a days tracking his grandfather with the difficulties of language barrier. In severe cases he had to spend several days tracking because of his grandfather's habit of moving between places.

This was one of Godou's strange skills, the ability to find something or someone should he put his mind into it. His mind can come up with the possible locations of the missing target and he will automatically search for them even without knowing the place or looking at maps. He will just move and after a while, he will arrive in the location of his target.

It was a very convenient skill that saved his life every time he got lost in a foreign country.

There was once an incident where it took him five days before arriving at the hotel where his father, Gozou, was staying. It surprised both his father and his younger sister, who thought that he was picked up by their grandfather.

Apparently, his father have totally forgotten about him during that time.

He knows that his grandfather was deliberately leaving him just to see if he will return like usual. Thus, Godou decided to put effort in learning the universal language to make it easier for him, and from the foreigners that he will ask, well he doesn't really talk to them since he only moves into the location, but he wanted to look be bilingual for the heck of it.

Godou already knows that this skill was not natural, because even now as he stands in the foreign land, his body knows where to search in order to locate his target's position. He would like to study about this skill, but he doesn't even know how to explain this to his own self.

And because he couldn't be bothered, he just left it as it was.

On the south side of Italy, a vacation island floated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. This was Sardinia, an island about the same size as one of the four main islands of Japan. Its population is roughly half a million of which over half was concentrated in the largest city, Cagliari.

Enclosed by crystal clear seawater, the surrounding natural environment was also very beautiful.

The biggest industry on the island was tourism. Every summer, Sardinia was crowded by tourists whose purpose was to vacation in Europe. Particularly in the northeastern side, the sea shore as beautiful as an emerald was renown as vacation spot exclusive to upper nobility.

He didn't really want to have a vacation alone in a foreign country, however Godou viewed this trip as soul-searching. It would be a waste if he did not enjoy his trip in an island that was famous for being one of the beautiful vacation spots.

"...Then it's decided. I'll have a stroll in this little town, sleep later, then take the train later to the town where what's-her-face lives, then spend the rest of the vacation goofing off."

Godou was at a hotel room booked by his grandfather in Japan.

Though it was a simple 5-storey inn, its facilities were well provided, and extremely clean though not very luxurious, the food provided was also good.

Godou sat on the bed, browsing webpages for maps and travel guides about Sardinia, making his plans for the next few days.

The town where his grandfather's acquaintance lived was located in the centre of the island. Godou decided to take a break here for today since hi body needed to recover from the jet lag and the fatigue from air travel. Twelve hours of sitting wasn't much for him, considering that he spends more time watching T.V and sleeping back at his house, but even though he was used to it, Godou still felt tired from the travel. Especially since it was very hot in this particular time.

But he can rest when it's nighttime. Right now, it was still one in the afternoon, and the Mediterranean sun gave off bright rays. The clear blue sky hand not a single cloud. This kind of wide unrestricted view was not something that can be found in Japanese scenery.

Godou left the inn and walked around the town, intending to find a coffee shop and have some snacks.

After a few minutes of walking and effort, Godou found a cafe on a little street.

Godou doesn't know any basic Italian language, but he wasn't concerned in the slightest. He was not a person who fretted over such details, and it was pointless to be nervous. Besides, staffs in this vacation spot should be used to travellers. Thinking about this, Godou stepped inside the shop.

The decor of the shop was rather plain.

There were only seven customers inside, all middle aged men or older. No one dressed fashionably and and they all had casual attire and looked very relaxed.

They were gathered in the interior of the shop, watching a broadcasted football match on an old CRT television. Although Godou was good at different sports, he wasn't really a fan of football and basketball. His interest were only caught by sleeping and running away from his sister.

Godou walked towards the bar.

The bartender who greeted him was a twenty-something-year-old youth. Godou felt a little relieved, for no matter what country, the chances of someone being competent in English was highest amongst younger generation. Of course, there were also many exceptions.

_"Excuse me, I would like to order three servings of Italian Panini and a large cup of Espresso,"_ speaking in fluent English, Godou ordered and the bartender only smiled and replied 'OK' during the whole conversation.

After receiving his order, Godou sat in the place that was nearest to the window. He ate in silence as he observed the people that were playing outside in the beach. Most of them were people with the same age as him, they were playing football in the sand, sweating under the sun.

Godou was also good in sports, but he didn't really pay much attention for he really love sleeping and would spend most of his time doing it. Because of that he was labeled lazy even though he wasn't. Being lazy is different from sleeping, but Godou didn't corrected them. When not feeling sleepy, Godou does what other people do, hang around in the arcade and play video games, sometimes he even goes to the public swimming pool, he was also in charge of cooking and well... he walks towards school and escorts what's-her-face back to her home.

After he finished eating, Godou thanked the bartender, settled his bill and left the coffee shop.

Godou stopped through the intersection. Although there were no cars passing through, he still stood patiently waiting for the traffic light to turn green.

He noticed that there were only a few people on the streets even though it was already two in the afternoon. Then he remembered that now was the time for siesta- the afternoon nap. Though afternoon nap is no longer common in places like Rome and Milan, it wasn't so in a place like this.

When the traffic light turned green, Godou proceeded to walk, that was the only time he noticed that there was another person in the other side of the intersection.

She was a girl whose age was most likely the same as his, she was not tall for European standards but there was a certain sense of dignity, how should he put it? Proud like queen, walking with elegance and imposing manner.

Her long blonde hair that somehow reminds him of a crown, fluttered in the breeze.

Dressed in red, under the birghtness of the sun and in contrast in her long blonde hair, the impression of red color was especially shining.

However, all these aside, the most important feature was the girl's beauty.

Beautiful features as if the result of delicate craftsmanship, better proportioned than any doll, livelier than any model or actress, and completely saturated by nobility and self confidence, it was a face no one could ever forget after seeing once.

Unless the person was an idiot obssessed with swords.

...Or simply Kusanagi Godou.

He only took a second to look at her before returning to his own thoughts. He walked towards the other side, not paying the slightest attention towards the girl that was also walking into the other side. From the other side, the girl glanced at Godou with a look of suspicion.

...

A day after he arrived in Cagliari, Kusanagi Godou was spending his time by exploring the small town. Normally he would've started travelling towards Oliena, but due to some circumstances, the train was not available today. Without anything to do, Godou strolled at the beach.

There were a few people out and Godou found it weird. He expected tourists to be sighted everywhere.

Leaving the beach, Godou sighed. There was nothing else to do and it was so hot that he can't even sleep. In times like this, he may as well take a swim. Just as the thought passed his mind, he heard someone's footsteps coming from behind him.

It was because of his trained senses that he was able to grab the arm that was stretched to attack him, without any hesitation he lifted the assailant clean off the ground flipping him over his head, throwing him into the ground. A second later, he turned towards the assailant and saw the assailant losing all of the air in her lungs as she thumped heavily onto the ground, lying in her back and staring up at the blue sky, completely speechless even if she had had enough breath to speak with.

However, Godou didn't expect his assailant to be a girl.

"Ah," Godou scratched the back of his head, "my bad woman. Reflexes you know?"

"You-! You-!" the girl spluttered, gaping at Godou. "You threw me!"

"Astute observation, woman," Godou deadpanned sardonically, "I can see that you're a genius on the same level as Einstein."

Fast enough to make Godou cautious, the girl stood and raised her hand, "Come to me, the sword inheriting the name of the lion-hearted king! Cuore di Leone!" Godou watched with half closed eyes as a silver body of a blade appeared at the girl's hand like a beam of clear light bathed in the rays of the shining sun.

"Is that magic—"

Godou wasn't able to finish his question as the blond-haired girl attacked him by thrusting her sword forward. Godou narrowed his eyes as he spun his body and evaded another attack from the crazy girl that was attacking him. He jumped backwards and faced the attacker.

The tip of the sword was waving about like a tail of an animal. Even though Godou knew nothing about swordsmanship he could tell motions of impeding attack. The one who taught him martial arts beat his body into a pulp so he could use this skill.

Jumping forward, he released a punch that was blocked by the swords back blade. But the punch the he released earlier was able to bent the blade of silver sword. Seeing this, the girl narrowed her eyes as if considering Godou as a threat.

Godou's experience told him that this girl was strong, should he continue to fight he will definitely lose.

"Seriously," Godou started, "what's wrong with you woman?"

The girl in front of him glared, "what's wrong with me? I should be the one asking that! You threw me without a reason!" she yelled.

Godou sighed as he raised both of his hands, "as I said, I did it out of reflex. The position you made can be mistaken as an attacking stance, I bet that even you would do what I did should it happen to you," he said as the girl lowered her sword.

The girl still glared at Godou with her blue eyes. The sword in her hand dematerialized and she crossed her arms under her chest.

"So, what you need woman?" Godou asked.

"I have a name and it's Erica Blandelli," the girl said, stretching her hand. "Let me borrow your bag."

Raising an eyebrow to her request, Godou considered if it was a scam but immediately discarded the thought. The girl simply radiated an air of nobility, there's no way she would do acts like a lowlife. So without thinking, he handed his bag to her,

Opening the bag, the girl named Erica pulled out the familiar lithograph. "Look, what is this? A holy relic giving off divine power- even for us magi of the Copper Black Cross, will rarely possess specimens of this high calibre."

"So what?" Godou questioned as he grabbed his bag, Erica let it go without resisting. "This magic thingy is to be delivered to the original owner. That's the main reason why I'm here."

Erica tilted her head, "the original owner? This person is in the island of Sardinia?"

"Yeah, what's-her-face lives here. Now, elders said don't talk to strangers so I'll be leaving now," Godou remarked as he turned around to leave.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Erica yelled as she tried to grab his shoulder, stopping only when she remembered what happened recently. "Wait up you brute!" she yelled as she tried to catch up to Godou who has started running.

After a few minutes of chasing, Godou finally stopped to buy some ice cream, for himself of course. Erica was watching him with twitching eyes and a distorted smile.

"...Such rude acts aimed towards me. I shall punish you in a little while," she muttered with a scary grin, "but first, I have a question for you, please tell me the name of the original owner."

Godou stared at her with his half opened eyes. After a second of staring he then turn his head around as if saying that he wasn't paying attention at her.

"You-! You-! Answer my question quickly, or would you rather be threatened by a sword?" a vein popped in Erica's forehead as she asked. "While I'm still feeling generous, please answer the question," her eyes as sharp as swords and her tone was full of pseudo-gentleness.

Godou sighed, "her name is what's-her-face—" he dodged as a sword almost cut him, "Lucretia something what's-her-face," he said while releasing another sigh. This was one of the reasons why he wasn't interested in a relationship. His mother, Shizuka, Mariya, all of them were scary and his view of women has been twisted by them.

"Lucretia Zola?" Erica repeated, "the Witch of Sardinia? An evil and rude man like you, going to meet her? How suspicious."

...

...

"So you just came here just to deliver that grimoire and you don't know that magic existed until seeing me call my sword?" sitting beside him in a bench was Erica who was listing these facts with a melodic voice.

"Yeah that's right. So can I return now? I don't want to miss dinner," with a voice full of disinterest, Godou stood up but was pull back in the bench by Erica.

"Wait a minute your jerk, do you honestly think that I will believe such lies? Be a more realistic if you're going to lie," Erica said with a weak glare.

"It's already six in the evening woman, isn't it time for dinner?" Godou said, corssing his arms.

"Not that you idiot!" Erica yelled, "are you Sir Salvatore's cousin or something? Youe idiocy is on the same level as his!"

Godou puffed his chest, "for your information, I am ranked one on the middle class and not to mention that I'm the student council president. Also, I don't know what time Europeans eat dinner, but in Japan we eat dinner at this time, do you want to eat?"

Hanging her head in defeat Erica sighed, "fine! Let's eat!"

Just as Erica marched to a nearby ristorante, Godou could be seen smirking as if he succeeded in a prank.

...

...

In Italy there existed common eateries like trattoria as well as high class ristorantes.

Since Godou doesn't know anything about restaurants, he just followed Erica while being his usual self, annoying her to no end.

As they arrived, they were immediately taken to their table, although Godou wanted to eat alone and proposed it, Erica refused saying that she needs to keep an eye to him or else he could escape without being punished from calling her stingy just recently.

Since Godou did no understand any Italian, it was up to Erica to order.

"Really, you're ordering wine?" Godou asked in his normal tone after seeing the bottle of wine being placed on their table. He was still a minor, but he had already tasted a lot of different liquors thanks to his mother.

"Isn't it obvious? Wait, don't tell me that you don't know how to drink?" Erica asked as if mocking him.

"Only an idiot wouldn't know how to drink," Godou smiled as if saying that Erica was an idiot for even asking.

"You-! Outsmarting me once again...!" Erica grumbled, sending a look of resentment towards Godou. "Don't expect another opportunity...!"

"Heh," Godou chuckled lazily, "don't worry about me, I have a high alcohol tolerance."

As Godou said that, the waiter arrived with Erica's order. For appetizers, there was prosciutto ham as well as a wide selection of resh seasonal vegetables. With fried lamb brains which Godou had for the first time, handmade sausage, and baked Sardinian flatbread. The meet entrees consisted of roasted suckling pig served in slices, as well as horse ribs that still retained some blood.

Drinking the red wine, Godou savored its flavor and smiled while relishing the aftertaste.

A complicated taste unique to high quality red wine, with a mixture of bitterness, sweetness as well as sourness. The fragrance of grape and fruitiness assailed the sense of smell.

"Hn, western wine isn't really my favorite, but this is really good."

"So you know a little about wine huh? Then just drink obediently and stop spouting nonsense."

Godou ignore Erica's rambling as he began to eat, the taste wasn't really that good, considering that he was a better cook. But at least it wasn't in the level like those food in England. He sighed as he remembered his trip there, he wasn't fond of English food.

Remembering that trip also brought memories of him being lost, again and was forced to find his relatives despite the cold weather.

As they eat and drink, Godou noticed that Erica was observing him.

"Are you counting how many glass of wine I have drunk?" Godou asked witha wry smile, "that's really stingy you know?"

"I already said that I'm not stingy...!" Erica yelled, "why do you keep insulting me?"

"I'm only saying the truth you know?" Godou replied, "I prefer being direct."

"If direct means being rude then you are indeed direct. However, I am thinking on how you managed to learn such a proficient bare-handed technique without magic." Erica explained.

Godou tilted his head, "does magi use magic to learn those things?" he asked with an innocent tone.

Erica huffed, "idiot, who needs magic to learn those? Really, you're so hopeless," she sighed once again, resting her head on the table. "What I meant was that it's hard to deliver strong blows without the help of magic, yet you were able to do so."

Godou shrugged, "well, my master spent s good time beating me so I could use those tricks. I'd hate myself if I didn't learn something awesome after those pain,"

After that, the two of them remained silent, eating and drinking without reservation. Each time their wine glass would be emptied, the waiter would fill it immediately. They continued to drink, trying to beat one another in a contest.

After three bottles of wine, Godou was the first to collapse.

Watching in glee, Erica huffed, although she herself was almost drunk. "Serves you right, you idiot. Trying to beat me in a drinking contest is your greatest mistake."

It only took a while for her to realize how troublesome it was. Her companion was drunk and unconscious while she doesn't know what to do with him.

The next day when Godou wake up, he became curious to where his clothes went. He also found the place strange since he never remembered going in a hotel to spend the rest of the night. It was also weird because he remembered passing out earlier than someone.

Just when he was thinking about what happened, Godou felt someone moving beside him.

"Geez, don't move idiot... I'm still trying to sleep!"

"Erm...?"

The moment their eyes met one another, Erica's face became completely red while Godou... he doesn't have the slightest of clue.

"...I have an explanation for this?"

Surprisingly, the one who said this was Erica Blandelli.


	2. Chapter 2

"I can explain!" Erica yelled as she covered her body with the blanket while Godou was calm enough to go in the bathroom and put on a bathrobe. "You were drunk, unconscious and I don't know the place where you're staying!"

"So you removed my clothes and slept on the same bed me?" Godou asked.

"Your clothes were wet because of the spilled wine!" she said, supressing the twitching under her eyes, "I was also half drunk that time! Just be grateful that I didn't left you on the streets and I'm the one who should be complaining!"

"So you were also drunk, and my shirt got wet. That doesn't explain why I have to be stripped in my underwear," he stated dryly while glaring at Erica, who was still by the way in the bed, covering her half naked body. "Also, why are there strange red marks on my neck and chest?"

Erica's face became red, "how should I know?! It's not my fault if you do things to your body while unconscious!" she then bit her lip as she added,"I didn't do anything while I was sleeping you know!"

"Oh really?" Godou asked flatly, "I guess that I also used a lipstick when I was asleep an managed to draw lip-shaped marks on my own neck?"

"Okay! I may have used you as a pillow!" Erica yelled once again, "I was asleep! Maybe I pushed my face into your body and my lips touched your skin! Happy now?!" there was now tears welling up on the corner of her eyes.

"I have so many to say," Godou sighed, "but first, I would like to know where my clothes are."

"...I left them to the hotel attendant to be washed." Erica answered with a frown.

This time Godou sighed again, his head was aching from the yelling and drinking last night and there was a lot running on his usually blank mind. His clothes were gone and he was in a room with a half naked beautiful European girl, but he didn't think nor cared about that.

"Those clothes shouldn't be washed by washing machine," he grumbled with a frown.

"THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT!?" Erica snapped and stood from the bed, dropping the blanket that was covering her body and her slender body became visible. Even though not tall, her body was surprsingly voluptuous, with proportions like a model, but in spite of all that, her bountiful bossom looked like it would overflow from her brassiere, her waist slender and flawless down to her legs.

Erica grabbed the collar of Godou's bathrobe and pulled it downwards so that his face would be in the same level as hers. Her breathing was ragged and her shoulders were trembling, her eyes glared at him just like an angry lioness.

"I am really angry and embarrassed yet you're only concerned about your stupid clothes?!" she yelled while shaking Godou back and forth, "Since yesterday I have to put up with all my stress and you only made it worse! It was your fault to begin with you idiot! If you hadn't became drunk I shouldn't be having these kind of problems!" with a loud noise, Erica pushed Godou into the wall and the sword that was used yesterday reappeared in her other hand.

Godou's expression didn't change in the slightest, instead he just sighed and stared at Erica's eyes. "You might want to cover yourself what's-your-face," he said, although he wasn't even looking at her body.

Even after noticing her state of attire, Erica didn't move from her position and continued to glare at Godou. "You won't stop insulting me even in this situation?" she asked with an angered tone, not caring about her appearance.

"I don't remember ever insulting you," Godou replied, although it sounded like he read it out of a book.

"Stop fooling around!" Erica yelled as she pushed the blade of Cuore di Leone at Godou's neck, drawing blood from a simple touch. "I have your life in my hands, I won't kill you, but I'll make sure that you'll regret it if you say something stupid again." the threat was clear, but Godou wasn't intimidated.

"..."

He remained silent, if he fought her in this small space he would be in advantage, but his enemy was a genius. Godou knows this because he had spent a lot of time observing people around him, he can tell whether they were special in a way or not. There was also the experience yesterday, in just a few exchange, he learned that this woman was much powerful than ordinary humans. Even now, she was grabbing him with her monstrous strength.

"You-, you're the only person who have pushed me into this state," Erica muttered with a clear voice, "Not even Genaro has annoyed me this much. On the other hand, you managed to do it without even the slightest of effort."

Godou inwardly sighed, the girl, Erica was completely on her edge. It seems that she was really pressured about this incident. He remembered Yuri snapping at him a few times and she yelled at him during those times, but this girls was different, she will totally trash him should she reach a critical level, such a troublesome woman.

"..."

"..."

Silence reigned on the room as Erica continued to Godou in the same position. She was no longer glaring, but a frown was attached on her face, never the less she was still staring at Godou, who was staring back with half opened eyes.

"You're not even scared at all," after a few more minutes, Erica sighed and released Godou from her grasp. "Stupid, idiot, human trash, rude, monkey," she muttered insults as she returned in the bed and sat, not even bothering to cover her body. However, she was still frowning and staring at Godou. Although the latter was thinking about something more important than the girl that just threatened him.

"...Do you think that they thoroughly washed my clothes?"

The response he received was a yell and flying kick from a half-naked Erica.

...

...

After he received his clothes, which was thankfully wasn't ruined, Godou left the hotel. Erica gave him a beating and said that she will meet up with him later today, she also said that she will accompany him into Lucretia's house, although it sounded more like a command. In the meantime, Godou was allowed to do whatever he wants while Erica rests on her room trying to regain her sanity. Although she warned that if Godou tried to escape, she will follow him and make sure that he will never be able to walk again.

"Man, what's-her-face sure is a monster," Godou mumbled as he walked aimlessly. Erica wasn't satisfied in just kicking his face, she apparently used martial arts imbued with magic to throw him around. There were damages on the room and the hotel attendants thought that something was going on, forcefully opened the door of the room.

Just in time to see a half naked Erica stradling him in the floor with hungry (murderous) look on her face. The female attendants' faces became red, they apologized and left their room, leaving a 'do no disturb' sign in the doorknob.

That was the time where Erica began to choke the life out of Godou while crying from shame. The male obviously fainted and left the room much later, where he met the same hotel attendants that saw them earlier in the room and mistaken Erica's murdering as acts of dominance.

When the females inside the elevator asked Godou how it went, he simply shrugged and answered. "She was rough, but she did a good work. I can feel my body burning." The women who asked blushed once again while imagining things.

Of course Godou was referring to Erica's fighting skill. He couldn't even match her even when he used his own technique. Instead, she considered it as a challenge and even summoned her sword the second time that day. Even now, his body was burning from the pain she inflicted.

Thus, after buying his breakfast in a stall, Godou wandered in the empty beach, trying do kill time.

He wasn't particularly feeling sleepy so resting was not an option. He also wanted to make sure if his body was functioning normally after the beating that he received from a certain woman.

It was when Godou was taking a stroll in the sea-side when he encountered him.

A youth was leaning on the wall of a building that resembled a warehouse, looking towards the ocean with a carefree smile that suited his face. Around fourteen or fifteen years in age, with jet black hair reaching his shoulders. There was was kind of androgyny in his facial features, but he was clearly a male basing from his attire.

As he noticed Godou's presence, the youth turned his head into his direction, and smiled.

"Greetings boy, how fares thee?" the youth greeted with a smile. Godou stopped walking and stared at the youth with half opened eyes.

"Your fashion sense sucks," he said, referring to the youth's unkempt attire.

The youth tilted his head for a moment, having a large question mark above his head. However, that did not last long as the next thing he did was chuckle at Godou.

"Hoho, what a strange greeting," the youth said. "Tis really rare to meetest a fun fellow such as thee," the youth added while sending a refreshing smile towards Godou.

Unknowingly, Godou revealed a lazy smile, "It's also rare to meet weird people like you," he said towards the youth.

"Hm, what a strange taste, no dare I say smell- hangeth around thee, catching my attention," the youth muttered, "In earlier times, great people possesseth that kind of smell,"

Godou ignored the youth's strange way of speaking. "Sorry, you must be mistaken since I already took a shower. Your sense of smell must be terrible."

This time, the youth chuckled louder, "Payest no heed to it. I assume I have made a fool out of myself to have said such a strange thing."

Godou nodded, his attention now fully focused towards the youth.

"Boy," the youth said, "Since thou seemest to be bored like me, would thou be interested in competing? Canst we amuse ourselves for a while?" the youth proposed.

Godou smiled, but this time it wasn't his usual lazy smile. "Hn? Now that's interesting. I've read from the internet that competing with strange weirdos is a good way to pass time. Sure, I'd like to see how good you are."

"Never I have heard of this 'internet'. But tis good that thou accepted my challenge, a lot of people always hesitate whenever I challenge them."

"Seems like you've got something to flaunt," Godou said with a smirk, "It would make me feel good to defeat you."

"Fufu, defeat me? Boy, I am the victor and victory is always in my hands that is my nature." the youth declared, "Facing any kind of enemy, unchangeable and unshakable is my victory."

"Is that so?"

"Tis true, I have long sought the taste of defeat for all this time, but none hath ever prevailed against me." the youth declared once again in a confident voice, "By the way, whenever I start fighting I lose myself and cannot avoid getting serious. Maybe this is one of the reason why I always win."

"Don't you dare doing that on me," Godou said,"If you were to do that, I will lose motivation you know? I will defeat you and I will do it using my all. I never really hold interest in anything, but now I'm interested in showing you what defeat feels like."

"Of course," the youth smiled, "Let us do anything, as long as thou art good in it. Games, martial arts, a battle of wits, horse riding, anything."

Issued a challenge like that, Godou smirked. Things are going a little interesting for him.

...

...

In the end, the two of them spend the rest of their day competing against each other in many different things. Base ball, volley ball, foot ball, swimming, chess, lifting, fishing, eating and brawling. None of them stop and gave up, but it always ended in the mysterious youth's victory. Godou didn't stand a chance against him no matter what he does, it was as if the youth was inhuman, even Godou, who was good at physical stuffs, cannot do most of the thing that the youth did.

Even after such long day, the youth's breathing remained regular.

"Today was most amusing," the youth muttered, "And I am very happy. How about thee?"

Godou grunted, "Damnit, I couldn't even match you in all of the things that we did. But I did have fun, it's been a while since I remained awake for a long time. I am clearly not bored or anything." Godou who was never really sociable in the first place was surprised to find himself getting so familiar with the youth in just a short time, without even knowng his name, granted that he also didn't gave his name to the youth.

"I did use the best of my abilities," the youth muttered, "I had fun, tis been a long time since I useth my skills in mere games, tis not bad once in a while."

"Good for you then," Godou grunted as he yawned. Now that they stopped doing interesting things he was now getting bored. "It's been a tiring day, I want to rest. Do whatever you want now," he waved lazily as he started to walk.

"Such an amusing fellow," the youth's voice reach his ears, "thou art truly interesting boy. If fate allowest that we meetest again, I wouldst like to compete with thee again."

"Yeah," Godou said, "I would look forward that."

For him who rarely did anything seriously, this was a truly refreshing day. The youth with the unknown name was a mystery to him, he had this aura that attracts people and Godou was included. Although he rarely paid attention to anyone he doesn't know, he spent his whole day doing things with a stranger that he met by coincidence.

Now that he think about it, why did he even competed with the youth and wasted his time?

It was because he couldn't refuse the youths challenge. He did it within his will, but he found it hard to refuse.

Bag in his shoulders, Godou went in a trattoria for dinner, the girl with the blond hair, whose name was already forgotten, haven't appeared yet and he really doesn't care. Her threats were meaningless to him anyway. Now that he remembered the girl, he was also rather curious at magic, it exists and he had no doubts now.

Maybe his unexplainable skill was related to magic by some chance?

Godou's dinner consisted of roasted chicken and some Italian delicacies, he ate silently while watching a broadcast from a T.V inside the trattoria. There were a few people inside, and the atmosphere was calmer than a ristorante.

When he arrived in his room, Godou got a change of clothes and reclined silently in the bed, memories of the day running on his mind.

Yes it has been an interesting day.

...

...

In the middle of the night, Godou woke up from the loud banging on his door. He ignored it and continued to sleep, but after five whole minutes of loud knocking, he was still ignoring it. He was a heavy sleeper anyway, his mother was worse.

"Hey jerk, I know you're in there! Open the door immediately!"

The voice from the other side was undoubtly a female. It was most likely the girl that violently trashed him earlier today.

He wasn't gonna open the door.

"If you don't open this, I'm going in by force!"

Godou sighed as he forced himself to stand up despite his tired body. He already knew that the girl will do what she said, and he will not pay for repairs, and the other residents may complain and it would be even harder for him to rest.

He walked towards the door and placed his hand on the knob, he opened it and saw the blond girl hands on her hips sending a glare at him. Godou yawned and returned on his bed, turning his back towards her.

"Why didn't you went in the place where we had dinner last night?" the girl asked. "Did you know how long I waited there?"

"Why should I go there?" Godou asked in return.

He could hear the girl gritting her teeth, but he remained silent.

"Idiot, aren't you planning to apologize to me after all the things that you did?"

"...I didn't do anything wrong. Besides, you already beat the hell out of me this morning, what more do you want?"

Erica would yell but she restrained herself, remembering that it was nighttime and people may wake up because of her yelling. "You clearly deserve that. Your idiocy annoys me and it was your own fault at the beginning. Do not blame me for something that you set upon yourself."

"... I already told you, I'm not an idiot. In fact, I'm an honor student back in school."

"Then all of the people in your school must be insane," Erica said, "to make an idiot like you an honor student, I think they're condition cannot be cured."

"Yeah," Godou agreed, "those people are the worst, making me work even though I was sleeping. They don't have any manners at all."

"You should be saying that to yourself!"

Godou yawned, "So what do you want woman? It's already eleven in the evening."

"My name is Erica, how long will it take for you to remember it?!" she said. "I'm here because I want to complain about you not showing up. So let's hear your explanation, and I'm not gonna allow you to sleep unless your answer satisfies me."

"First of all, we didn't have an agreement about meeting anywhere, woman. Second, I'm not oblige to explain because you said that I can do whatever I want today. Third, even if you rant all night, I'm still gonna sleep."

Erica sighed as she sat in the bed, keeping an invisible wall with the boy, arguing with this idiot will not bring her anything good, what's worse is that it always resulted in her loss. Because of that, she was embarrased greatly earlier today, what made it worse is that the said man wasn't even trying to embarass her.

The knight frowned as she heard her stomach grumble, she was not satisfied with her dinner. Majority of her time were wasted on waiting, it was common etiquette to wait for a person before beginning to eat, and Erica being the prideful one followed it. In the end she ate much less and went out to find information about the places where the boy was staying.

Now that she think about it, she still doesn't know his name. But she guessed that it was for the better, calling him idiot was more than enough. In fact, he should feel honored because he was the first one who gained a monicker from her, although the said moniker perfecty suits him.

With a frown, the knight released a yawn. She would think of what to do later when she wakes up.

Not even bothering to ask the permission of the boy beside herm Erica laid in the rather large bed. She'd already slept with him half naked, what's more to be embarrased?

...

...

BOOOM!

For the second time that evening, Godou was awakened by a loud sound. Only this time, instead of loud banging in the door, it was an explosion that was able to shake the ground strongly. Followed by what it seemed shockwaves, Godou instinctively tried to protect himself from the collapsing glass and wall.

It took him less a second to notice the sleeping girl beside him, without second thoughts Godou pushed Erica on the ground.

"Wha-!"

The girl, Erica finally woke up when she felt his weight pushing her down.

The place were they were staying trembled and Godou knew that it was not gonna last long. He grab his bag, pullling the clueless Erica and jumped from the destroyed window. He carried the girl in a princess cradle as he ran downwards on the sides of the building, maintaining his balance and speed. As he reached the ground, he sprint away from the collapsing building, taking his time to locate the source of the shockwave.

As he ran thirty meters away from the collapsing building, Godou rubbed both of his eyes, dropping Erica roughly on the ground, but who could blame him?

A few dozen meters away from him, a giant figure was rampaging. From the help of his sharo eyes, Godou discerned that the gigantic thing that was stomping and creating an earthquake was a Boar, a fifty meter body length Boar. Its color was pitch black, making it almost unseeable in the dark, its tusk were long and undoubtly sharp, but what made made it more fearsome was because of its crimson red eyes.

"...That's one oversized pig..."

Erica, who just got up from the rough drop in the ground was also frozen while staring at the giant Divine Beast. She took a moment to scan her surroundings and found that the hotel where she was staying was now nothing but rubbles under the Boar's feet. Had she returned in that place to rest, there's no doubt that she's be lying dead in the ground.

Should she thank the idiot...?

The giant Boar roared and another shockwave was released, Godou, along with Erica were sent flying with a crushing force. Although they were not the target of the attack, they were still git by the waves of bone crushing force that can be compared to a tsunami.

"...Hey! Grab my hand...!"

Erica streatched her hand towards Godou while in air. In response, he reached the outstretched hand and grabbed it with all his might. After Erica made sure that she was holding him, she pulled him close and draped and arm on his shoulder.

"Soar, Sandals of Hermes!"

She yelled and a red circle appeared as a plat from where she landed. As Erica jumped, another platform was created and it repeated a few minutes before she stopped, takinga good distance from the location where the Boar manifested.

"Hey idiot, are you alright?" as they landed, Erica asked.

"Is the Italian government doing animal experimentaion?" as he coughed, Godou asked with a hoarse voice. "If they are, do you think that they accept requests? I would like to see a real life Godzilla."

Erica sighed, "If you can say such stupid things like that, then I'm glad. I won't waste my time digging you a grave."

"Damn, I left my my favorite clothes back there!" Godou grunted, "In any case, what the heck was that? I don't think that it's a biological weapon. That thing definitely has a brain."

"Stop spouting nonsense for a while." she said. "That thing is a Divine Beast, a servant of a god. As you saw, its power is overwhelming, but compared to a deity that show of power is child's play."

This time Godou stopped his current thoughts. "Gods? You're saying that gods exist?" he asked with raised eyebrows, this was the first time Erica saw him showing such expression. "Okay, I give up."

"Yes... but to be frank, whether or not these are gods in the religious sense, we cannot say for sure." Erica explained. "Long story short. Due to the myths humans have passed along from ancient times, _they _ were born. It's hard to explain, but gods came from essence, elements and many different combined myths. Those who escape their myths and descend in the world are called heretic gods, they brings great disaster by simply being present. What you saw just earlier was a servant of a god."

"That giant pig was definitely a disaster." Godou muttered. "But to think that a god will have an even more destructive power... how come we've never heard of this before? Is it a recent happening?"

"Certain magic affliated people conceals the truth. People unrelated to magic are hypnotized to forget everything, should they see anything supernatural." Erica added.

Godou frowned and look at the place where the gigantic Boar was spreading chaos. Even though they were far from the stop, seismic trembles can still be felt, especially the roar of the incarnation of destruction.

"Is that a Divine Beast too?" Godou asked, pointing at the Tornado that appeared out of nowhere and was currently battling the black Boar.

The wind devoured the Boar along with the remaining establishments. Even when far away, they could feel the powerful wind dragging them. Just how powerful was that tornado?

"Come on idiot!" Erica yelled. "If we don't move, we're going to be sucked in!" she grabbed Godou's hand and started to use the same magic that she did to escape the Boar just earlier.

From the corner of Godou's eyes, he the pitch black Boar being sliced into pieces by golden lights, and then the Boar's body turned into grains of sand, just as the tornado became even more stronger. Strong enough to make them and their surroundings whirl around wildly in air.

...

...

In the end, Godou and Erica were thrown into the sea and drifted there for an entire day, in the middle of the storm, mind you.

Erica used her magic to protect both of them from the raging currents, until she exhausted herself. After that, the two found themselves collapsed on this beach by the time they regained their senses.

Other than physical exhaustion and severe depletion of magic, Erica's bodyshowed no abnormal symptoms, while Godou suffered various wounds and bruises from protecting Erica using his body from debris that were also swept at the sea and the strong waves caused by the storm. He also carried her, when she because unconscious to save her from drowning.

But overall, they could consider themselves safe and sound.

But it was true that they were currently on an unknown beach somewhere.

"...No local people, the establishments are too old. If I had to take a guess, this island has been uninhabited for some period of time." Godou muttered, examining his surroundings.

"I'm impressed," Erica, who was being carried in his back, commented. "I really thought that you're an idiot. But you've proven that you can use your brain once in a while."

The island where they swept wasn't really large, one could explore all of it in just two days. But Godou was fortunate that there were trees bearing fruits and living animals in this kind of remote island, they wouldn't die from hunger, and that was only his concern.

"This island isn't that far from the main land. That must've been the reason why the people who lived here abandoned this village." Godou concluded, "We should be able to return, but we need a boat or something, and swimming is not an option here, it's a miracle that we've survived drifting in the sea in the middle of the storm... well only me, because you were unconscious and have no idea what I did just to get here."

Erica deliberately ignored his ramblings. "Yes, this is an island where fishermen from some recent years ago rested when there's a storm." she explained. "It became a village for some but because it was too small, and due to lack of useful technology, it was abandoned. I'm surprised, you managed to deduce a near accurate result even though you're a clueless idiot."

Godou ignored Erica in return and continued to search for a decent cottage where they can reside. "Rest for now what's-your-face, I'll find a way to construct something, and when we return to the mainland, we're on our own so make sure that you're ready to move by then."

Erica tilted her head, "What? I can't just let you go with a grimoire of that calibre!" she complained.

"I don't care." Godou said. "I've been having so many misfortunes ever since coming here."

"Idiot! If some lowlife magi discovers you has a high caliber grimoire, they will most likely try to do any means necessary just to steal it!" she replied.

"I can handle myself."

"Really? You think that you can fight two dozen magi with just your bare hands and succeed?" she asked, "They will try to use spells that can cripple or kill you should it even graze, you know? While if I'm with you, I can defend both you and the grimoire. Furthermore, I can call reinforcement should we be in a crisis, though I doubt that will happen."

"...Is that so?" Godou asked, voice filled with doubt.

"Of course! Why did you think that I wanted to accompany an idiot like you!" she yelled in his ears, "As a knight, I would be a failure if I let a simpleton idiot like you get into an accident even though I can prevent it, also, the grimoire is too important to be used for evil by those evil scums!"

"I see," Godou muttered, "Then I guess I should thank you for the concern about the stone, woman." he said sarcastically.

"Che, Just so! But if you want to thank me, then call me by my name!" she protested, "It's an insult for a knight to be not addressed by their prided name you know?"

Godou only sighed in response. If he knew that this will happen, he would've just stayed in Japan and live at the Mariya house for a week.

"Fine... _Blandelli._"

...

...

"A storm in Sardinia? Is this also the doing of a deity?" Godou asked, as the rain started to pour down heavily.

After finding a decent cottage, he gathered some old cooking utensils, fruits and hunted a not gigantic boar. Thankfully, Erica lent him a spear to use. He was well versed in martial arts, but hadn't tried using it to hunt boars or break bones. He was lucky since tracking the beast was easy for him and his weird skill.

"It is," Erica replied, "You should know that a mere storm is not the only thing that they can do."

Fire was created from Erica's magic, although her magic was depleted, she said that creating a small spark won't put additional strain on her body... Godou doesn't really care in the slightest, he just wanted to eat.

"Once again, I'm impressed," Erica said with a tone of praise. "I never expected you to be able to cook something this good just from a wild boar and some fruits, it's even better than Anna's cooking," she added while devouring the bowl of soup that Godou prepared.

It was a good thing that there was a well in this small island, but even if there wasn't, Godou was planning to use the rain water. Although the thought of waiting for a bucket to be filled made him sleepy.

"So, how long will it take for you, uh, regenerate your mana?" he inquired, "Or should it be called something else?"

"Hmph. Don't compare magic with the things that you see on fabricated online games," she scoffed, "I didn't exerted magic beyond my limit because I became unconscious. So with proper rest, I can use magic to travel back to the mainland by tomorrow night."

"Is that so? Good for us then," Godou muttered, "I'm gonna make sure that Luc-what's-her-face compensates me for all this trouble, you said that she was a witch right?"

Erica nodded, "Yes, she's the famous Witch of Sardinia. She's well known over the world of magi for her research about the Arthurian myths."

Godou remained silent for a while, "You said that gods came from myths. But as time passes, myths changes, when that happens, are gods erased?"

"Good question," Erica complimented, "But the answer is no. If their myth changes, then they will also change accordingly. There is no way to erase the gods as long as humans exists."

Godou sighed as he stood up, "I see. Anyway, I don't care about it, sleeping is more of a priority than those disasters." he left the cottage after he said that.

He went in another cottage and created a fire, he removed his wet clothes and sighed deeply. Even though he learned that gods existed he wasn't really that concerned, if what that woman said is true, then even in ancient times there were already happenings like this, yet not all of the people knows about it. After he delivers that stone, he made a mental not to ask the witch to erase his memories about the gods and everything weird that happened. He was simply not concerned about magic and stuffs and he'd rather live his normal life.

He was a selfish and despicable person who doesn't want to see the truths of the world anyway, such action was okay with him.

Besides, what good would it do if he continue to remember what he discovered? It's not like I can do something, like fight the gods, right? Godou thought as he closed his eyes.

...If only he knew

...

...

After a few hours of sleep, Godou went to the cottage where he left Erica. His mind was clearer now and his stress was already nonexistent, in fact he already accepted the things about gods as if they were normal occurence.

When he returned, he was greeted by the sight of Erica, still wearing her wet clothes, and with a red face.

In only a glance, he confirmed that the girl, and his way to return back in the mainland, was sick.

"Damn, your fever is so high...!" Godou almost shouted when he touched Erica's forehead. The average temperature of a human was thirty seven, but Erica's temperature was borderline fourty one. "Are you feeling any pains, whatsoever?"

Erica shook her head, "...Idiot, it's only normal since I've exhausted myself. All I need is rest and water, after that I'll be fine," he noticed that her voice was weaker than normal, and that her body was freezing cold, probably because her clothes were still wet.

He sighed, his troubles keeps piling up one after another. "I'm not good in treating the sick. But until your fever is not gone, I'll try to take care of you," he muttered with a defeated tone. "Just say the things that needed to be done and I'll do i, as long as it can help you recover."

Erica chuckled at his words, "What's this? You're surprisingly gentle and kind in some areas?"

"Don't misunderstand," Godou said, "I don't want to be near you when you die. I don't want to dig a grave for you, it's troublesome and energy consuming. I don't know how to treat the sick. More importantly, you're the only one capable to rescue both of us." he listed.

"I already know that you're that kind of uncouth person," Erica sighed, "Also, don't talk about me dying. Even in this state, I can still kill you twenty times repeatedly should I want to."

"Whatever you say," Godou muttered, "So, do you need anything? If not, go rest already."

After hearing him, Erica remained silent from a few moments. Godou could see her frown, he also noticed that her face became even more redder. "..thes" she muttered with a weak voice.

"Come on woman," he grunted, "Say it clearly, I'm not a fortune teller."

Erica gritted her teeth as he yelled. "Clothes you idiot! I need to take off my wet clothes! And address me properly or else I'll kill you!"

"I see," Godou replied calmly, "Well then, I'll go outside. But really, you don't need to tell me that you want to take of your clothes." he said as he started walking.

"Hey come back you idiot!" Erica yelled, "I need you to help me take these clothes and dry them!"

Godou sighed, just how many misfortunes will come to him?

...

...

In the end, Godou wasn't able to leave. He remained on the same roof as Erica and did whatever she ordered, he did not complained or said any thing in exchange that Erica would not yell, or throw a sword at him.

Currently, she was wearing his parka. Her clothes were hard to dry, and the cold stormy weather didn't help, not in the least.

The food was still the same, Godou only needed to warm it before serving once again. But this time, he was forced to feed Erica, much to his annoyance. Instead of eating and resting, he became a servant. He also has wounds and bruises, so why was he suffering even more?

He frowned as he remember his wounds, although not very large, they were still painful. Even though he cleaned them, he had no materials to cover them from bacterias and such. Every move also makes his body ache, not to the point of making him wince, but it still lowered his dexterity.

"...I'm gonna sleep. If you want something say it now, I really hate it when being disturbed," he said as he shot a glance at Erica, who was maintaining her distance from him.

She scoffed at him, "No I'm fine, although it would be nice if you don't wake up again."

Godou didn't respond to her taunts, his sleep was more important thant verbal insults. The woman was just too prideful for her own good, even when she wanted something, she would acquire it without asking for help. But that's fine either way, less work for him.

So many things happened since I've arrived here. Godou thought as he closed his tired eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Lazy, blunt, rude and arrogant.

Those words were often used to describe Kusanagi Godou, the male who didn't cared about his surroundings so long as he can slack off and get some sleep. Because of these traits, he was not like by many people, while some are mature enough to get along with him, even though they too, still feels minor annoyance when they are with him. Only a few people truly grasp his personality, and they were his family and closest friends.

But the truth is that Kusanagi Godou was a man who despises many things and likes very few.

He despises the truth.

Because for him, living life shrouded in darkness was more preferable than living in a world where all of the painful truths are known. He'd rather be in a world where gods and magic are only treated as imagination, than in a place where existences beyond common sense were normal.

Thus, he wanted to escape the truth by having his memories erased after delivering the stupid piece of rock that made his life turn a hundred and eighty.

He could just give the stone to the annoying blonde and ask that she erase his memories.

But he still has his pride, although it was almost nonexistent.

He wouldn't leave the job in a girl, especially if he can do it. He doesn't want his problems being carried by a girl, a stranger at that. He will do his task and ask for his reward, then leave this country like nothing happened, and continue his days by acting like he normally does.

Yes, that's the goal that he will reach.

But first, he needs to escape this nightmare and go to the place where the stupid witch-whatever was living.

Which is a little hard since he was stuck in an island with a tsundere girl while being covered by wounds and bruises from drifting in the sea and protecting the latter with his own body. In which later resulted with the said girl being sick and him being a caretaker.

Even his little sister haven't been this spoiled.

But this... devil, was driving him crazy, treating him like a butler!

But, what's even worse is that she's preventing him from sleeping! The woman tha he didn't even knew for a week was taking away the most important part of his day!

Even Yuri haven't gone that far!

Scowling, he stared at the said foreigner who was sleeping comfortably. Her face looking like an innocent girl's while her expression was so alluring that it would make any male unable to tore their gaze away from her.

But he was Kusanagi goddamn Godou, the male that can't be captivated by a simple thing called charm.

The said girl lied comfortably against the wooden floor, _**using **_his lap as her own _**pillow**_. To make it even more worst, she was wearing the parka that warmed her, it was his favorite parka and it was supposed to warm _**him**_, not some girl who can threat him with a sword.

More importantly, because of this woman, he was having problems in sleeping. Not because he was staring at her beautiful face, not because she looked cute, and not because she was hugging his hand close to her chest, which made him feel the utmost soft sensation which was perfect for a pillow, no, that was not the reason.

It was because his body was covered by bruises and wounds, aching all over, and the said girl was using him as a _**pillow**_.

"What a selfish human being." now this would be a perfect example of pot calling the kettle black, but of course he wouldn't know it. Because he always thought that he was not a burden to others, despite how he acts and, well... make the other people do most of his work. "Stealing me of my sleep time is the worst crime..."

He wanted to throw the girl outside, where it was raining hard, he really does.

But this girl was sick, and he wouldn't do such a thing no matter how irritated he was. Part of the reason was because this girl could murder him should she want to, and that he was still a kind human being.

Scowling, he endured the cold wind while staring at the blonde woman with minor irritation and envy. His favorite parka really looks so warm, especially in this situation where the whole island of Sardinia was being assaulted by a storm made by some deity which he detested for ruining his supposedly normal vacation.

He really was jealous of the girl sleeping comfortably on his lap.

...

...

...

"So... how will the magic folks explain this?"

the boy asked as he stared at the once lively town, that was now currently nothing but rubbish. All establishments were leveled in the ground and some cracks can be seen as if a massive earthquake struck the place.

"Probably an earthquake or an explosion..." the female replied.

"Explosion...? But there's no signs of fire... unless..."

"Yes, they wll create their own fire and tell that an explosion happened. They will try to conceal magic no matter what they do." she explained with closed eyes, "the existence of gods shouldn't be revealed: imagine what would happen if the whole world knew?"

"Probably some idiots will ask help from other gods and try to summon them...?"

Erica stared at him in disbelief, "That's pretty accurate. But the most likely, humans using technology and challenging them, if that happens the gods will attack and who knows how many casualties will happen."

After a long rest, Erica finally recovered from her magic exhaustion and used her blacksmithing magic to create an alloy metal that can float in water. He didn't know how, but the blonde said that she can use a spell to make iron and metal move according to the caster's wishes. To be honest, he didn't really care, he just wanted to get out of the damn island as fast as possible. He can't sleep comfortably without a bed, and when a certain girl was using him as her damn pillow.

"Sigh... I don't want to stay in this place any longer," he said as he grabbed his bag, well not his, actually he just found it in the shore and used it to replace his original one that was already half destroyed. "I'll deliver this ugly stone and leave as fast as I can," after he said that, he closed his eyes and take a few deep breathes.

Imagine the item's form in the mind...

"...Located," he whispered as he opened his eyes and turned at the direction where he was seeing the 'imaginary string'. As long as his mind was focused, the string will never fade nor disappear. The only thing left for him to do was to follow it and locate the person.

"What's gotten into you?" Erica asked as she felt a strange kind of sensation emanating from the male's eyes. The usually half opened, lazy eyes were changed into sharp eagle-like ones. "Hey... are you perhaps using..." before she can finish her words, the boy suddenly began to sprint in a speed that was not normal for humans.

Clicking her tongue, she chanted the spell words and activated the spell, Leap. But even with her magic, she still can't fully catch up with him, his speed was unnatural and he wasn't even using any types of magic.

"Hey, where are you going?!"

The black haired male turned his head but kept running. "Where do you think? I'm going in that witch's house so I can bring this stupid stone," he said before pausing and directing a smug smirk at her, "what's wrong, can't keep up with me?"

Erica's eyes twitched at the taunt. "Can't keep up with you...? Don't make me laugh! But you do know that even with that kind of speed, reaching Oliena will still take more than a day? That means that you will need to run for more than a day!"

After he heard her words, the black haired youth suddenly came into a halt, muttering, "I didn't thought of that."

Erica stopped casting her spell and turned at the black haired male with an irritated expression. "What's with that sudden running? Have you gone mad after a night without sleep?"

"Nothing. But let's start to plan our next steps, I really want to finish this and leave this island..."

Erica frowned as she stared at him. "I really don't get you, idiot. But the thing that you used earlier... is it some kind of spirit vision?"

"...what?"

She palmed her face. "I'm talking about the thing you did before running! You used some kind of weak spell, what is it? Your speed was also abnormal."

The male shrugged. "Dunno what you're talking about. That was just a skill I developed ever since I was a kid, and was being left behind by old hags in a foreign lands." he then showed an expression like he was kind of an old person reminiscing about his youth.

"Stop making that expression; it's disgusting."

"Then stop staring at me, that's more disgusting, and annoying, also irritating."

In the end, the two of them only bickered and insulted one another as they started their journey towards the next town.

...

...

...

"Uwaah, finally a soft bed nya~" the black haired male muttered softly as he slumped on his bed, hugging the pillows and giving out a very innocent smile. But that only lasted for a few seconds before it was replaced by another irritated expression as he glared at the other person in the room. "What are you doing here anyway?" he pointed at the girl who was watching him with her own glare.

"I'm staying in this room, idiot." she replied evenly, kicking him out of the bed and taking the pillows that he hugged earlier.

The two of them were wearing casual clothes, while the male settled with a shirt and pants, the female wore red pajamas that looked really high class. They stopped in another town, buying necessities and renting a room, which was the only vacant at the time, since many people didn't want to leave just yet because of the storm.

Unfortunately, because there was only one room available in the only inn with vacancy, the two of them will share another night with another, again. Even though he refused vehemently in staying in a room with a violent woman, he shut up when the said female suggested that if he really hated being in a room with her, then should sleep outside.

"Geez, how long has it been since I've enjoyed a bath?" the female muttered while shaking her head in regret, "maybe it would be better if I just leave you here and return to Milan."

The black haired boy's attention was immediately shifted from the tv, "Then by all means, please leave me alone," the smirk on his face indicated that he really wanted her out of his life, after that all happenings, his still looked at her like a stranger that he sees everyday in the streets.

An irritating feeling built up on Erica's chest. Sure, she hated the idiot who did nothing but annoy and embarrass her even without trying, but all that experience were vividly carved in her mind. Not only because she didn't expected it, but because that all of them were significant experience, even if it was something that includes a certain boy with a detestable attitude.

But this boy just waved all of those like it was nothing, furthermore he wanted to erase all of his memories after delivering the stone.

She couldn't blame him, since he was an ordinary... well, not so ordinary civilian. But she hated the fact that he will deliberately close an eye and live in the illusion where everything seems normal. He doesn't want to see the truth of the the world and will rather use an easy way to return to the illusion that was once his life.

Although he have his reasons, she couldn't help but feel hate for him.

A man that treats everything like a joke. A man that would forget the value, experience, people that he discovered just so that he could sleep comfortably.

She hated that part of him.

"Out," her voice seething with anger, Erica glared at the boy.

"Hm? What's with you this time?" still not paying full attention to her, the boy replied.

"Return tomorrow. I would kill you if you spent the night anywhere near me," her tone was serious and she even summoned her sword for something like this.

"..." seeing the seriousness in her expression, the boy sighed and dressed himself. He picked up his bag and left the room without any words. Erica just watched him, not even averting her eyes when he was changing, her sword still pointed at him.

The irritating silence continued for another hour or so.

Even after an hour, Erica was still holding her sword, glaring at the door. She herself was confused on why she followed her emotions instead of thinking logically. She even used her beloved sword just to show how serious she was.

_'What am I doing? He'll just forget all about this in a day anyway.'_

Just then, she felt a painful feeling, as if her heart had constricted. Her heartbeat sped up for no reason.

"Just why am I feeling like this?" she muttered with a weak voice, curling herself in the bed.

...

...

...

"Sheesh, what's her problem?"

Godou sighed and walked silently on the dark streets. The truth is that he didn't know where he is since Erica was the one who lead him in this small town. But his feet kept walking, he eventually forgot where was the direction of the place where he was staying.

Tracking her was not an option: he doesn't have anything of her possession, hair or anything like that.

So, in the meantime he was all by himself.

Which was what he wanted, since he was still uncomfortable around her. He was still annoyed by the fact that he wasn't able to sleep peacefully when they were in that isolated island. He should be the one kicking her out of the room, but still-

"Why does she look like that earlier...?"

The expression she made, was so... weak, so fragile.

As if she was not the proud knight, but a simple girl. The proud expression on her gaze, the passionate brave eyes that still glared at him when she was so sick. They were replaced by those weak looking pained eyes.

As if she had been betrayed.

"Did I do something to make her look so betrayed?" he tried to remember all that he did earlier this day, but he cannot remember anything that would make her reveal such expression. Ever since she woke up from her sleep, she has been behaving normal.

He had been with Yuri for so long, but he hadn't seen her once look at hm with those kind of eyes. Honestly, if she did, he would start distancing himself. He just couldn't bear being gazed upon with that kind of betrayed expression.

So why, why Erica who has only been with him for two days, would look at him with those eyes?

"A maiden's heart sure is complicated," he muttered with a defeated tone. Inside his mind he was wondering, why does all of the female in his life had to be weird or hard to understand. His mother, sister, cousin, Yuri and many others were truly hard to understand... especially his mother, he now realize why his father was weird.

"Ah, having problems with a maiden, I presume?" a charming familiar voice asked.

Godou's gaze immediately turned towards the speaker. Even in the midst of darkness, he still saw the jet black hair and the ivory-like skin of his androgynous face. The boy that he met in that town a few days ago, he was still alive.

"You... that boy who sucks at fashion..."

The youth stared at him with glee, chuckling at his words.

"We meetest again boy, I think that fate itself destined this," something akin to amusement was evident on him, but Godou didn't mind it as he smiled wryly at the youth.

Meeting him in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere, surely it was fate. Even him, who's clueless about magic, could say that this meeting is destined by a higher power.

"Still creepy as ever..."

"Fufufu, I was just taking a brief walk and then I happen you sense thee around," the boy wearing a cloak smiled, "and here we are, chatting after that disaster that befall the peaceful village."

"Unfortunately," Godou frowned at the mention of the town, "anyways, I was kicked out by my companion. I plan to dilly dally until morning."

"Hn? Then why not hangeth around with me for a while, boy?" it was not a suggestion, but an order. Godou had that feeling, but for some reason, he found himself nodding while staring at the boy with a smirk.

...

...

...

In the end, Erica wasn't able to fully rest.

She woke up in the middle of the night, and was unable to sleep again, her thoughts lingered on the way how she acted. A part of her were saying that she was wrong while the other says that she was not. She herself was confused on what to believe since she had never experienced this kind of feeling before.

"I wonder... what is that idiot doing now?"

She frowned when she remembered that the boy, whose name she doesn't know, spent the night outside. She wasn't really feeling guilty, she believes that his punishment should be more harder for the embarrassment she received. But she still felt bad since other people may be disturbed by the certain idiot. Knowing him, he may just barge in an inn and rent a room, not caring if the said establishment was full.

Yes, she doesn't really any sympathy or pity towards the said boy.

But him, being not around was a little weird. She guess that it has something to do with their bicker and insults to each other. Even if it was only for a short while added to the fact that she was really annoyed, she guessed that the time she spent with him wasn't boring.

She won't admit it out loud but a part of her had fun from being around that idiot. Even if she was annoyed most of the time.

"I need to find him," getting up from the bed, she whispered.

* * *

I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!

I became too lazy and forgot to update nor even write. But now that I'm back in the sack, the next update won't take so long. Also this chapter is short, I know; I only did this to declared that this story is NOT dead.


	4. Chapter 4

He groaned as his body slumped in the ground while the youth with the cloud-white skin and jet-black hair chuckled while sitting just beside his figure. The sun shining brightly in the sky sent waves of heat, but it seemed that the latter was not affected in the slightest, proven by how he was not sweating. While he, who surpasses even Olympic athletes, was sweating heavily, barely having the energy to stand up.

"Damn it... still undefeatable... I ended up embarrassing myself..."

He complained between ragged breathes. The unnmaned youth chuckled even more, the sight of this refreshing gaze would've attracted both genders because of his androgyny, but Godou was not a person who can simply be stunned by a beautiful face... the only one that proved to have an effect on him was a divine beast with the height of fifty metres.

"Hohoho, thou shouldst not feel embarassment. Thou art able to make me sweat even if a bit... unlike them." the youth pointed out at the few males (age ranging from 15 to 20's) who were sleeping under a tree, completely exhausted from a simple game of football with the two of them.

"Even if it's like that..."

Nevertheless, he didn't feel any better from the youth's praise. Not even once did he scored a point from him, he was so close, but the youth's inhuman body still outmatched his. He even surpassed him in terms of speed, it should be noted that he was very proud of his speed. It has became a legend in his school in how he can outrun even delinquents that were in a car. The time where he carried a certain miko in his arms, the latter almost fainted from the astounding speed that he used that time. Heh. He couldn't help but chuckle upon remembering the certain event.

"Ah. Today was fun boy." the nameless youth muttered as he stood from his sitting position. "Nevertheless, everything must come to an end."

"Are you taking your leave now?" he asked, rosing from his lying position.

"Indeed." the youth nodded. "I hath some matters to attend to. Besides, thou hath no time to worriest about me. An angry company will arrive shortly for thee." the youth said in a mysterious manner, giving a smile of pity at him.

"Huh?" he titlted his head, watching the figure of the nameless youth as he started to walk away from him.

"Thou art a fun fellow. I wouldst like to have a competition with thee again. However, the time for me to finish what I started hath come. The next time we meet... I fearest that it will be different." for some reason, the youth smiled sadly. "The Stone of Theft... useth it shouldst the time cometh. In time, thou will understand what I mean." saying those weird words, the youth left, leaving no sound with his footsteps.

He didn't bother calling him to know the details. He had a feeling that the two of them will meet again sooner than he expected. He doesn't know why, but he was sure that it was bound to happen. He stayed in the same position for a few minutes. Still recovering his breathe from the intense two hours match with the mentioned youth under the blazing sun.

"Hey idiot! How dare you!" Kusanagi Godou's eyes was drawn behind when they heard a feminine voice (that sounded angry. Very angry.) calling. The color of reddish yellow hair was the first thing he noted from afar.

The figure wearing a red shirt and cargo pants was a girl of the same age as him. She has glamorous blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes (that was practically screaming murder!) was running towards him at a notable speed. The face of the girl was strangely, glaring at him.

"Where did you go?!" yelled the girl named Erica. "I said return when morning comes! But instead, you were gone for a day! A FREAKING DAY!" the anger in her voice cannot be mistaken. But he was clueless on why she was venting it on him.

She grabbed him by the collar (this was getting normal for him) and pulled him with her enormous strength so that their eyes could meet. Half opened lethargic black eyes met with an angered and stressed (?) blue ones. Erica was gritting her teeth, her eyes as ferocious as a lioness.

"...Uh, I'm innocent?"

CRACK!

The moment he seem to hear the sound of a glass being broken, he was judo tossed harshly in the ground. On top of that, Erica even stomped his back a few times. Meanwhile, he was still clueless on why she was angered on the first place.

...

...

...

The beating continued for another good minutes before the blonde stopped and turn her back on him. He noted that the males, that played with him and the youth earlier, was directing their eyes full of sympathy, admiration, and pity at him. What's up with those people?

"Uh... have you eaten lunch?" it was a clumsy way to start a conversation, but he still said it nonetheless.

It took a few moments before the blonde replied to his question. "No... I was too busy finding you." her voice sounded reluctant, but he could swear that there's also a hint of delight. As if she was pleased for some reason.

Now, why would this girl, who pointed a sword at him so that she could kick him out, was finding him? Did she regretted her actions? But that doesn't seem right. From his perspective, Erica was the girl who did not regretted her actions.

"..."

"..."

A few minutes of silence passed. Erica still has her back turned on him while he... was looking at the males mentioned earlier, trying to discern what they were doing. Perhaps playing charades with him? That's ridiculous, he doesn't know any Italian. Are they idiots?

After another minute of silence, Erica finally turned around and grabbed the collar of his shirt once again. "Aren't you gonna invite me to lunch, idiot?!" she yelled with an enraged expression.

This girl has an anger management issues.

"Why should I do that?" he asked, baffled. "I already ate lunch y'know? If you you're hungry, then I suggest the restaurant in the seventh blo-" he didn't manage to finish his words when an uppercut came unexpectedly, making him dizzy. "Oh... um? Do you want to eat lunch?"

"Seriously! Is there something wrong with your head?!" shaking him, Erica yelled, even if she already knows the answer.

Facing this attitude, he only sighed. Remembering about his violent little sister (who always hurts him) he decided to do something that always manages to calm down his sister. In some cases... even some of his enraged (female) classmates.

He raised his right hand and cupped Erica's chin. This prompted the female to freeze, staring at him with great surprise. Without saying anything, he only stared directly in her blue eyes, feigning a serious expression for the first time.

The girl couldn't believe what was going on, one moment she was tempted to beat him to death, then the next thing she knows is that he was staring at her with such a resolute expression. Her body froze as if she were sent into a world of ice. Her chest felt constricted, she couldn't tore away her gaze from those eyes resembling a warrior. It was a strange yet pleasant feeling.

But, nothing lasts forever. This moment was destroyed by his next words.

"So... want to have lunch?"

She sighed. The temptation to beat him... again, was in the table... again. "...yes."

Godou smirked as he winked and patted Erica's head. "Now, was that so hard to say?"

The expression he made with those sharp eyes and fearless smile made her face feel hot for some reason. Since when did this idiot looked so dashing?

...

...

...

"You went and play with this boy for a whole day because he invited you to?" Erica asked with an exasparated tone and she stared at him sternly. "And you forgot about me- what I said that night? Just because of that?"

He only nodded to her question, eating the second lunch that day. Erica had led him in a high class restaurant, and naturallly all was her treat. He wasn't a fool to let this chance go away, so even though he already ate lunch earlier, he still took foods that fascinated him.

"That's about it." he replied without much thought.

Another sigh and another glare was sent on his way, but he didn't spared her a response as he ate the delicious food before him with gusto. This prompted the girl in front of him to throw a glass of water to him. Surprisingly, he reacted faster and deflected the glass cup, making Erica growl.

"Anyway, what do you care about?" Erica momentarily froze at the question.

Why? Why would she, Erica Blandelli, would be so curious and annoyed on whatever this nameless idiot would do without her knowledge? She doesn't really need to know what he did, because for all she cares, he was old enough... and besides, why does she feel so irritated? Erica Blandelli was a person who could tolerate even the Italy's campione (for a limited time), so why would she lose her composure around this not so ordinary boy?

There is an answer in this question, however, she was not sure if it was the right one.

"...it's because you made me wait. That's all." suppressing a sigh, she replied with closed eyes. The male sitting opposite of her showed his doubt, but didn't pursue. He did however, momentarily stopped ignoring her and eating.

He looked like he wanted to say something but stopped himself, shrugging as if he lost interest in the matter.

She noticed this odd behavior and thought that maybe he was opening up even if it was a little. The other day, he won't even spare something like like time to listen to her words. Either he had a weird way of being thankful for free food or he has finally acknowledged her to some degree.

"Hey, this time. Isn't this a good time to finally go to the place where that what's-her-face was living?" he proposed.

Her heart stopped beating for a second. He was suggesting to go to Lucretia Zola's house, that means that he wanted to erase his memories soon. He will then leave Sardinia without any memories of what happened. The rude first meeting, the Boar, the island, everything. These flashed in her head in just the span of a few seconds.

The unfamiliar feeling rose in her chest again. But this time, she didn't did anything but suppress it.

"Indeed it is."

Noticing the strangeness occurring to her, he turned his attention to her. "What's wrong?"

"...nothing." she said while turning her head the other way. However, he still noticed the expression in her face.

The same betrayed expression she showed that night.

...

...

...

Dorgali was a little town at the foot of a mountain.

It had valleys near the sea, as well as steep river valleys around it. Dorgali is surrounded by abundant natural resources, and has been designated as a national park. This was Godou and Erica's destination, it was only an hour away from Oliena.

Getting off the main road where the bus stop was simply marked by a sign, there were only a few shops and a police station. Godou and Erica first noticed the unnatural drought and the extreme brightness of the sun. It was already 5PM yet it was still this bright... this wasn't normal.

"Great. It's another one of them, huh?" voicing him complaint, the nameless brunette grumbled to himself, annoyed for his luck.

On the other hand, the blonde knight also cursed their luck. This adds as another reason for the youth beside her to reinforce his motive to erase his memories. Just when she was thinking of spending the last days in peace, this incident happens out of the blue.

Naturally, as a knight, her sense of obligation was provoked.

"Be careful." she turned her head towards the brunette with a bewildered expression, while the male just sighed and rolled his eyes. "You're gonna investigate it. I'm just being considerate you know? ... hey what's with that expression, is there something in my face? I knew it! Those guys from earlier were trying to say something!"

She ignored his mumblings. In fact, she was so surprised about the male's surprisingly sharp side. He already knew that she will go towards the scene as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She actually imagine him not giving a damn and shooing her away, but to actually bid her his blessings... what the hell was going on?

Because of this, she blinked her eyes repeatedly, wondering if either the male was sick or was in a good mood. The turn of events that happened today keeps getting weirder. Regardless, she still has a mission to do.

"Hmph, I don't need your concern. I can take care of myself." folding her arms under sher chest, she turned her face sharply.

"Mmm, okay. I guess I take that back. It's _you_ after all?"

Somehow she felt offended by that statement. "How exactly do you see me?"

"The kind of woman that's when slapped in the left cheek, would smile and slap the right cheek, then left, right, left, right, left, right, left, left, left, right, then an uppercut, a kick, a stab, spoon, then you would finish it with a Wolverine combo."

"..." what is this guy seriously saying?

"Regardless, I've witnessed what those over-fed animals can do. So if you die, at least I had given you my sympathy." so he was actually hoping her to die! Just when she was about to do the exact things he said earlier, the male scowled. "Anyway, be careful."

A warm feeling spread in her chest. "Tsk. I guess I can only accept your concern. Don't worry, if I'm gonna die here, I'll be sure to include you as well." with seriousness in her voice, she said. "That's for making me angry all the time."

In truth, she was just being sarcastic, however, her words made the male grin at her. It was a pure smile that he expressed for the first time, not including the teasing smirk and the wry smile he always shows. Her opinion of him was revised by a little, at the same time, she had discovered how to converse at him after those days.

"I'm not joking." she added and the male's grin only grew wider. Astonished by the reaction, she also revealed a smile.

"Fu. Don't push your luck, _Blandelli_." for the second time, he called her by her surname. It's not that important, but it was an achievement, especially since this male was the topic.

Summoning her beloved sword, she left the male and headed at the scene with the ever elegant smile in her face.

...

...

...

The moment the blonde knight left, he felt something cold in the pit of his stomach. Something about this left an impression at him as if something hard to describe was going to happen. A part of it was concern about the female, but the main reason was because of his instincts, practically screaming at him that whatever beast resides in this town, the knight would not be able to escape it alive. He was baffled by this emotion, even if he haven't notice it, the female already ascended to the point where he no longer ignores her, most of the time.

Unconsciously, he let out a sigh. It was not included in his plans to get close to someone. Emotions would only make him hesitate about forgetting his memories.

Until now, he still wanted to forget everything and live in the illusion like he once had. But a part of him actually scolds him for thinking in such a way. It was cowardly, but he hated reality, he couldn't make a choice on what to do, especially since he already became a little close towards that woman. The only one aside from his sister and the Mariya siblings that actually made him smile. In his mind, the knight was already close enough to be called an acquaintance.

Would he be able to forget an acquaintance, when he could count all of his acquaintance with his hand? More importantly, can he forget all of the things that he experienced in this foreign land?

He couldn't answer it... it was the only question that he couldn't answer with logic.

Facing this problem, his scowl became even more prominent than before. Exactly at this moment, he saw a pillar of fire erupting at a distance. There's no doubt that Blandelli had already arrived there, confronting whatever beats was lurking.

He will forget her anyway, it was foolish to go there unarmed. It would be a smart move to abandon her and head off at the place where the witch was residing. However, could I really do something that despicable?

Facing this trouble, he ran.

...

...

...

She screamed in pain as an ember touched her. The beast in front of her was an incarnation of a god, it was something that she can't face head on. The chances of her succeeding and surviving was so slim, that even she was not sure about it.

Normally, Erica Blandelli would've retreated right now. However, she couldn't do it because she was protecting an unconscious child with her bare body. Her shield along with her sword had melted under the sheer heat from the incarnation, White Stallion.

She could just run and escape, but she would rather die than leaving an innocent child behind.

The despicable thought did not even crossed her mind when facing the stellar flames that were being directed at her.

Burned, she could only endure the pain, praying that a miracle would happen that would be able to save the child. Her own safety was not even her main concern.

"For the sake of maintaining order in Rome, the Senate decreed the suspension of imperium! O Steel of the Lion, layest thyself down as the foundation!" using the last resort to buy more time, she incantation her strongest defensive technique.

In response, the magic sword of the lion, Cuore di Leone, suddenly appeared in her hand. At the same time, it transformed into a chain with ten links, shining with silver luster. The chain's head and tail ends joined together to form a "circular chain."

These ten chain links encircled her, forming a protective barrier against the pillars of flames.

"Senatus consultum ultimum, let this decree be heard!"

Senatus consultum ultimum, the ultimate protective barrier that she can use. It is equivalent to a castle in durability. However, the spellcaster cannot take a single step out of its confines. In other words, she can only wait inside it, not escape.

However, protecting them from flames was the only thing it could do, it could not disperse the heat coming from the white flames. She gritted her teeth as she coughed up an unhealthy amount of blood. She had exerted so much magic so quick that it damaged her own body.

Noticing that she was still not burned into ashes, the Stallion neighed in rage. Its white mane swaying around, it prepared to fire another breathe of flames. This time, she was not so confident if she can defend.

Collapsing in one knee, she stared as the Stallion prepared to end her life.

In that instant, her prayers were answered.

Black Lightning.

Descending from the sky, black lightning struck the massive body of the Stallion. The air was filled with painful screams, however, the lightning wasn't powerful enough to kill the Stallion. At best it only managed to wound the incarnation.

Just when she thought of it, this moment, blue flames spewed.

The flames surrounded the strong and vigorous body of the Stallion, successfully devouring it. After burning for ten odd seconds, it completely disappeared from existence, along with the blue flames that appeared out of nowhere.

Almost automatically, she turned towards the direction where she felt the magic. Her eyes widened as she realized that the miracle she hoped for, came in the form of a brunette.

Holding a stone tablet between his outstretched hands, the black haired oriental stood. His eyes hardened and his teeth gritted. The stone tablet was glowing with intense magical power, it was most likely burning, the brunette however, did not let go of it.

Finally releasing the spell of Senatus, she was down in all fours. She heard the male's footsteps coming closer to her. She looked up and saw that the nameless male gazed with her with relief in his eyes. He then turned his eyes at the child behind her. For a moment, she saw his eyes narrow, before closing.

"It's too late. This child simply could not take the heat." he muttered with a blank voice, turning his back towards her.

Her eyes widened as she turned back towards the child. It was foolish of her to think that the child was simply unconcious. Unlike her, normal humans did not have resistance. Even if the child seemed unconscious, the truth is that the young girl was already dead, either from suffocation or from being affected by the divine presence of the Stallion. In the end, she was not able to save her, and innocent child.

She could only collapse in the dirty ground in frustration and exhaustion.

...

...

...

Even if she wanted to pay respect at the child and bury her, she wasn't able to do so.

Magic associations will need to take care of this mess, and she cannot do anything side from leaving the corpse. The male however, had enough concern to put the body of the child in the place where there's no flame threatening to consume it. The sight of his hands trembling a little did not escaped her.

The two of them sat with their backs leaning against each other. Right now, rain was pouring from the sky, most likely another divine beast was a few kilometres from them. However, she did not have the will nor the energy to pursue.

Only protected by a tree that miraculously survived the flames, her only source of warmth was the male that had remain silent since arriving, letting her rest and do anything she wants without interfering.

Most likely, he too, had a hard time accepting the death of the child before him. He might be hardheaded and careless, but he was still human, like her. Emotions cannot be suppressed, she knows it now. Despair was the only thing that she felt.

She was not able to save the child. She even almost died.

Had it not been for the male, she would not even be sitting here right now.

"Thank you..." she whispered loud enough for the male to hear. "You saved me earlier."

The truth is, she was still surprised that he was able to use the grimoire. Only a day ago, he was not even aware that he was carrying a magical artifact. To use it in battle for the first time and making it work, he was really lucky.

"Rest, you need it." he stated, his voice carried an air of gentleness on it. "If you need something, let me know. Consider this my sympathy for your horrible experience." he lacked his usual cheeky attitude.

"Heh, you're speaking as if you didn't experienced it as well." what an idiot, is this his way of trying to comfort her? He, surprisingly, had a gentle side to him. Just like the time when they were in that island.

"Probably not as hard as you did." the teen replied. She leaned on his back even more, trying to get as much warmth as she can. "Unlike you, my brain is already damaged to the level where I can keep my calm, you however..."

"Am not prepared for that kind of thing..." she finished the sentence for him. True, she had trained her mentality to be able to act calm whenever these things happen. However, the training was nothing like the real thing... "I guess, you're right..."

"Took you so long to figure it out?" even with the frustration in her chest, she smiled, because he won't be able to see it.

It amazed her how calm the teen remained even after facing an incarnation of a deity. When did this guy became like this? She felt a sense of solace as the silence remained. Her aching body was slowly bein healed as she wait.

The comfortable warmth was enough to make her relax, so when the teen stood up, she was a little mournful.

"We can't stay here." he pointed at the dark clouds still forming in the sky. "If I travel in the next town, it'll take an hour, carrying you."

He knelt with his back facing her. Probably he was saying that he will carry her in a piggy back. Strange, normally she would feel offended for being treated as a weak girl this time however, she was grateful for the fact that the male was considerate.

...

...

...

It was almost midnight yet she remained awake.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't just sleep in this cold night. A sense of uncomfort was in her chest. While the memories from earlier were still clear in her mind, she had already convinced herself that nothing would change even if she sulked in a corner.

Her companion was staying in the next room. This was the first time that they were separated by walls even thought they were in the same establishment.

"Is he still awake?" she asked no one in particular. "Well, might as well find out." if he was asleep, then waking him up and annoying him was only a bonus.

She got up from her bed and went out of her room. She took a few steps in the candlelit corridor. Then, after hesitating for a few dozen seconds in front of the door, she knocked twice. Her mind still hazy, she didn't really knew the reason why she was outside of his room, knocking.

The door opened, revealing the male, hair still wet from most likely a bath, his clothes consisted of a white shirt and cargo shorts. Half closed eyes met her.

He let out a sigh and fully opened the door, gesturing her to enter. Without a word, she entered and sat on the bed without his permission. The male only shook his head and stared at her with his lazy eyes.

"Can't sleep?" she only nodded in response. The male closed his eyes. "You need rest. You were injured and exhausted earlier, even I can guess that you need rest that badly... however, if you need company, I guess I can fill it for an hour." there it is again, his gentle side.

She had noticed this: he was normally cheeky and aside from his face, everything about him was regretful. However, at times, he will show this gentle and considerate side. He would even go in danger just to save her. He was a complicated man.

"I'm not really the one for chat. If you like, you can just talk and I'll just listen... that is if I don't fell asleep." so his cheekiness was still there. Oh well, it's not like she expected him to turn into a complete gentleman all of a sudden.

However, she did not talk, neither did the male.

The time passed and only silence remain in the room. As if they already understood that no conversation was needed. Their presence alone was enough.

He sat just beside her, leaning his head in the wooden pillar. Although his eyes were closed, she knew that he was awake, listening even if she did not want to talk. She actually find this part of him charming.

Without any thought, she rested her head on his lap. He seemed annoyed by this action but that's what made it more fun.

They just spent the whole night in silence, although she was rather disturbed at how intimate she acted around him.

...

...

...

The girl, Blandelli, spelt comfortably on his lap.

He was annoyed, no words are needed to be said. However, he will allow her to do what she wants only for now. He knew that she needed comfort, so he will give it to her. She needed help, and he will halp her.

This was because he had already choose that path he wants to take.

For once, he will stand, facing the ugliness of the world. He wouldn't run away this, especially now since he have a reason to meddle with this.

He will make sure that he won't regret it. That's why...

"Be strong for those who are not."

...

...

...

She opened her eyes from the blank dream that she had. A sense of refreshment overcame her as she snuggled at the thing serving as her pillow. The things yesterday assaulted her mind, but she needed to be strong. 'Be strong for those who are not.' she remembered the words that the teen, serving as her pillow, muttered in the depth of the night.

"About time you wake up." a familiar voice greeted her, full of annoyance yet at the same time, amused.

"Shut up, a woman needs her rest." she noticed the small grin that formed on the male's face.

Still in his room, she slowly stood to stretch her body. The male was still sitting, and it didn't seem like he actually moved from his position.

"I feel better now. I guess I should thank you, even if you did nothing." she said, turning her back at him. Her body already recovered, and a good sleep really helped her mind recover. A part of her was so embarrased about how she acted yesterday, majority however, was content on how the male did respond to her distress.

"That's good. Seeing you like that, I don't know if I can hold my laughter any longer." smirking, the male also stood up. "Besides, I was really tempted to throw you out of my room for using me as a pillow."

A kick made its way into his stomach.

"So you were thinking something rude about me huh?" the coldness of her smile reminded him of Mariya when she's pissed at him. "And to think my opinion of you was slightly revised..."

"No thanks. I don't need a girl having a good opinion about me."

"Who said that anyone will have a good opinion of you?" this time, she realized that she was actually having fun bantering with the male. Only a day ago, she would be annoyed, but now... it's just weird. "You're an idiot on the same level as Sir Salvatore: only fools would see you as an interesting man."

"Whatever." he seems to be focusing on something, which was strange. "Hey do you still remember the pony yesterday?"

Pony? This man was calling a great Stallion a Pony? Well, she could say that she was not been expecting this...

"What about it..."

For a moment, the teen's eyes turned sharp, just like the other day.

"I know the location of its owner." the tone he used indicated that he was... annoyed? "It's not far from here."

He turned to her, his expression hardened, just like a warrior. No words were needed to be said.

...

...

...

One stood, facing the destruction that one had caused in order to retrieve a piece of oneself. The 'Sun' had already been captured, most likely, by that boy who had the smell of a King or a Warrior. One wasn't wrong, the fellow was indeed, someone worth his attention.

One was almost complete. Nine of one's forms were already retrieved, it was time to face the enemy, the Divine King!

One chuckled as one felt the familiar presence.

Looking down behind one, the fellow stood, staring up to him. Unlike the past days, his eyes showed his resolve, not the hesitation in the middle of a crossroad.

On his hands, the stone of theft was being held.

Accompanied by a woman with blonde hair, the human only stared at him. On his face, a sense of resignation can be seen.

"Ah, thou hath sensed me." one spokest, smiling at the human.

"...So this is what you mean back then, about the stone..." direct to the point, it was quite refreshing to see the human taking things seriously.

He only nodded, no words art needed to be spoken. Mutual understanding hath already taken place. Their lives hath been bounded by fate itself. The human hath already understood it, just recently.

"Boy, comest with me. Together, let us travel and seek opponents to battle."

"I refuse." quite the fast answer. No doubt, the human hath already made his choice.

One let out a sigh. The human was very rare, one dost not wanteth to kill such an amusing fellow. One hath no choice but to use force.

"Obeyest one, mortal." these words are speaken with one's power as a hero.

Immediately, one's orders were received and the two humans were down in their knees. One sent a look of disdain towards the female human, she was the reason why the male hath been thinking twice.

The said female tried to resist. Futile, one's words art law itself.

Adding a pinch of magic power, the female was once again forced in her knees, forcefully.

Until this time, one hath no idea that this action wouldst be one's undoing.

Because in that moment, one felt a killing intent that can only be produce by fellow gods... or godslayers.

...

...

...


End file.
